‘I have so many issues with our government in every way’: Chappell Roan confirms why she hasn’t endorsed Kamala Harris for president

The influence of celebrity when it comes to election races should not be underestimated, and it isn’t something new either. The 2024 Presidential Election has seen celebrities come out in droves to voice their support for their candidate, but artist Chappell Roan is not getting involved.

Vice President Kamala Harris has seen a huge turnout from the celebrity crowds as she runs for office, with online sessions such as White Dudes for Harris seeing the likes of Jeff Bridges, Mark Ruffalo, and Mark Hamill turn up to endorse her. The big golden goose that many were hoping, and fearing, would join the discussion was Taylor Swift, whose influence is not to be sniffed at. The artist has tried to steer clear of making a public decision in the past, but after Trump won the 2016 election she has been a lot more vocal, and has thrown her immense influence behind Harris.

Of course, some celebrities wish to remain clear of the whole ordeal, either for their own privacy or, in Roan’s case, because they don’t have faith in the government in general. The singer has rocketed to fame in the last year, having just finished her tour in the UK over the previous weekend. Her hit song ‘Femininomenon’ has been co-opted by the Harris campaign which has called for a “femininomenon” at the polls, sharing images alongside images of Trump and Harris on their social media.

Speaking to The Guardian about her position on the upcoming election, Roan stated,

“I have so many issues with our government in every way. There are so many things that I would want to change. So I don’t feel pressured to endorse someone. There’s problems on both sides. I encourage people to use your critical thinking skills, use your vote – vote small, vote for what’s going on in your city.”

The singer has also declined an invitation to the White House to perform at its Pride event, telling crowds at the Governor’s Ball festival in June, “We want liberty, justice, and freedom for all. When you do that, that’s when I’ll come.” Roan is a staunch ally of LGBTQ+ issues and trans rights, with £1 for every UK tour ticket sold going to the charity Kaleidoscope Trust. She states that her biggest hope for change is “Trans rights. They cannot have cis people making decisions for trans people, period.”